Black and Proud is a video series on The Root that focuses on the pride that our favorite black celebrities, tastemakers and thought leaders feel about being black. Many of them talk about our resilience and strength throughout history, and some talk about our undeniable talents, while others mention our dance skills, dopeness and more.

Whatever the reasoning, it’s clear that being black is an incredible experience despite society’s negative narratives around blackness.

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Lakeith Stanfield may be a newcomer to the game, but his impact is real. Stanfield made us all laugh till we cried as the resident pothead on FX’s Atlanta, but he’s proved that he’s more than the adorable guy who can play a stoner everyone loves. He portrayed Snoop Dogg in Straight Outta Compton, and now he’s stretching his acting chops to play another real character, Colin Warner—a black man who spent 21 years in prison after being wrongly accused and convicted.

When I sat down with Stanfield to talk about his new role in the movie, Crown Heights, he shared that he’s so in love with his blackness that it makes him proud. Check out the video above.